A Knight of Shadows
by DougS
Summary: Six years after Majora's Mask, Link and Navi return from traveling the world and are soon thrust into a new mystery. But this simple quest may lead Link to find more than he expects. Link&Malon shippage. My first Zelda fic, please review? COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1: Return

As the sun set in the Hyrule sky each night, it always felt like a peace settled across the land with it. The cool breeze quietly rustled the grass of the small grounds that lay between the castle and the town nearby. It gently blew leaves off of the trees, and carried the air in from the ocean far away. The smell of sea salt hung vaguely in the air, like a half-remembered dream, taunting all who longed to see the shore.  
  
And Link hated it. He hated every stupid, boring second of it.  
  
Well, maybe "hate" is too strong a word. He loved the land of Hyrule more than any other he had seen in his journeys. Sure, there had been some nice islands when he was sailing across the sea, and he'd gotten pretty attached to the world of Termina while he was there for — how long was it? Three days or a month? He was never really sure.  
  
But Hyrule was his home. Even though he never seemed to fit in with anyone — not the Hylians or the Kokiri or the Zoras or the Gorons — he felt a warmth pervade him just by being here. He felt like he was at peace.  
  
And even though he'd only been back in Hyrule for three weeks, it was starting to feel like that peace was going to last for the rest of his life. Was that good for him or bad for him? He wasn't really sure of that, either.  
  
As he stared out the window of Hyrule Castle, Link wondered whether the moon looked different depending on where you were when you looked at it. When he would drift off to sleep while he was at sea, was he seeing a different side of the moon than he is now?   
  
Metaphorically speaking, he was definitely seeing a different side of it right now. For a long time, the moon seriously creeped him out. He would think of how its rise seemed to wake the dead back when he was here six years ago, and he would think of that grinning, twisted face of death that shined down on him in Termina, the one that got closer to swallowing the world with each passing hour, and he would shiver. When he first got back from Termina, he'd tried to convince the Hylian scholars to keep an eye on the moon, to watch it in case it ever fell onto the world here. They'd laughed at him. There was no reasoning with them. Some of them didn't even believe that the blasted thing was a sphere.  
  
So he watched it himself, just in case. And all these years later, he was finally realizing that it wasn't going anywhere. But he also realized that there was more to the moon than horror — there was beauty, light and tranquility. Peace. The same kind that seemed to fill his life now.  
  
The same kind that he hated. Or, at least... wasn't liking very much.  
  
Over in the corner of the room, lying on a small throw pillow, Navi rolled over restlessly.  
  
"Hey," she muttered, as she was so often wont to do. "It's not falling. Go to sleep."  
  
Link turned away from the window, his eyes darting across the stonework that covered the room, and looked at Navi. He had guessed that she was only half-conscious, and he was right. She hadn't even opened her eyes.  
  
"I know it's not," he acknowledged, shooting another quick glance out the window. _Well, I'm pretty sure, anyway_, he thought.  
  
"You're restless. You're keeping me up," Navi replied, cracking one eyelid open.  
  
"What do you care?" he retorted. "You're a fairy. You don't even need sleep."  
  
"I still need rest. Besides, it's my beauty sleep," she answered softly, closing her eyes once more.  
  
Link half-smiled. "You don't age, either."  
  
"Stop arguing and go to bed already," she responded, gesturing weakly towards the wooden frame of his bed.  
  
Sighing, Link wandered over to the bed that stood in the middle of the room and sat down, swinging his bare feet up and under the sheets. Laying down, Link stared at the ceiling. He still wasn't feeling interested in sleeping.  
  
"Hey," he said aloud, using Navi's favorite word against her. "You ever think about when we used to have adventures? When we were explorers?"  
  
"Not this again," she grumbled, burying her face in the pillow.  
  
"Sorry," he shot back, clearly feeling no remorse. He smirked. "I just... I think I wish something would happen."  
  
"Be carefuh what you wih foh," Navi mumbled, her voice muffled by the pillow.  
  
"That's what Zelda says," he replied softly.   
  
Zelda... she had actually been even more thrilled by his return than he was. She was always going to be a good friend, and he knew that, but things were still awkward between them. She had never understood why he felt the need to leave Hyrule and explore the world for those six years. She never could understood what it was like for him growing up in the forest, surrounded by nature. No matter how much she loved all of the land her father ruled over, she still had a mind of stone and glass — her heart was in her castle and the town that surrounded it. For all that they had shared, they could never fully understand one another.  
  
And suddenly it dawned on him. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe it wasn't the fact that things were too peaceful. Maybe he wasn't simply spoiling for a fight. Maybe he needed to get back in tune with nature. He was grateful that Zelda had wanted him to live in the castle and keep watch over the kingdom as the official Hero of Hyrule, but had spent the past six years in forests, on the sea, camping in open fields and the like. He was approaching the age he had been when he had defeated Ganondorf as the Hero of Time, and he finally realized that he needed to get out and see the field and the forest of his homeland again. The castle's yards would never be enough for him. His home was the world outdoors, not these closed-in walls.  
  
"Tomorrow," he announced suddenly to Navi, "we're going out into Hyrule Field."  
  
"Whatever," she rasped dreamily before drifting back off to sleep.   
  
Before long, Link joined her. 


	2. Chapter 2: Reunion

Link didn't want to alarm Zelda by telling her that he was leaving, so he simply didn't tell her at all. He knew he'd be back soon, and he'd rather not answer any official questions about his "mission." So he just left her a small note informing her that he was headed out to see the local wildlife for a bit and took off.  
  
Even so, there wasn't any stealth required of him. As the sun began to set that evening, he simply made his way into town dressed in his traditional green tunic and then walked right out of the front gate. It was as easy as that.  
  
As he stepped out of town, he slung his magic satchel around his waist. He'd been carrying it for as long as he could remember — a bottomless bag that held all of the items he'd acquired over his years of adventuring, and could still hold an infinite number more. All he had to do was think of what he wanted and reach in, and out it came. So with the satchel on his waist and his Great Fairy's Sword and Mirror Shield strapped to his back, Link set off across Hyrule Field, with Navi peering out from beneath his green hat as usual.  
  
"Hey... where are we going?" Navi asked.  
  
"I don't know yet," Link said with a smile, "but it feels great just being out here again."  
  
"Well, wherever you're headed, it's going to be one heck of a walk," Navi pointed out.  
  
Link suddenly froze in his tracks. "Not necessarily," he said slyly, breaking into a grin.  
  
Navi's face flooded with realization. "Epona?"  
  
Link nodded happily. "I haven't gotten to ride her since I got back from Termina! I'm sure Malon and Talon will be willing to let me borrow her again. Y'know... just for a while."  
  
And with that, Link felt a sudden surge of joyous energy. He turned and took off running in the direction of Lon Lon Ranch. Navi held onto his head tightly to keep from being tossed off of her ride.  
  
"Oh man, this is gonna be so great!" he yelled gleefully. "I can't wait to race across the plains with her again, the wind in my hair, going anywhere I want as fast as she can carry us!"  
  
By the time Link and Navi had made it to the entrance of Lon Lon Ranch, night had fallen over Hyrule. With the wood frame sign that marked the entrance arching over his head, Link leaned against the stone wall that lined the entry and tried to catch his breath. He was exhausted from his run, but he felt renewed when he heard the sound of singing from inside the ranch.  
  
Strolling inside as casually as he could, he spied Malon standing in the corral with the horses, beautifully singing her mother's song. The song that Epona so loved. Sure enough, Epona stood beside her, nuzzling her shoulder as she sang. The years had been kind to both of them. Link had already seen how those two were going to grow up when he had traveled into the future as the Hero of Time, and they hadn't disappointed. Malon was a beautiful young woman, her blue eyes and red hair shining in the moonlight. And Epona was a strong, gorgeous red horse now. When he had last seen her, she was still such a little animal...  
  
"Malon?" Link interrupted cautiously.  
  
The song stopped abruptly as Malon spun around to see this new visitor. At the sight of Link, her face flooded with a combination of relief and joy, and she hopped over the fence of the corral before jogging up and embraced him. Navi chose this moment to sneak out from under Link's hat and fly over to greet Epona.  
  
Link returned Malon's hug as long as she allowed it before she finally jumped back from him nervously.  
  
"I..." she started, glancing down towards the ground. "I'm sorry, I'm just so happy to see you," she finished, looking up again and smiling. "I can't believe you're here."  
  
"I'm sorry I haven't come by sooner," Link started. "I came back to Hyrule a few weeks ago, but Zelda asked me to keep an eye on the castle and I didn't want to-"  
  
At the mention of Zelda's name, he saw a little of the sparkle in Malon's eyes fade away. He stopped suddenly.  
  
"Nevermind. Sorry, it's not important."  
  
"What?" Malon asked, genuinely confused. "You didn't do anything wrong."  
  
"I... don't worry about it," Link fumbled, trying to explain. He couldn't very well tell her that he had always sensed she didn't like Zelda. After he had returned from the future, he had stayed at the ranch for nearly a month, working to earn rupees and to get the younger Epona acclimated to his presence so that he could borrow her for his search throughout Hyrule. Even then, Malon seemed to flinch a little when her name came up during his stories. He'd never asked why she felt that way, but then, maybe he was a little afraid of the answer.  
  
Malon still looked confused by that last exchange, but opted to move on. "I remember," she began slowly, "that you had been looking for your friend. You brought Epona back to us because you said you couldn't find her in the Hylian forests, where you'd expected her to be." Her eyes gleamed with hope. "Did you ever-"  
  
"No," he interrupted, perhaps too harshly. His face turned sad, his eyes growing distant as he remembered. "But I found the answer I was looking for."  
  
Malon's smile faded in sympathy. "I get the feeling that it wasn't...s what you wanted."  
  
Link turned and started to walk around the outside of the corral. Malon followed, strolling casually beside him, her skirt blowing through the evening breeze.  
  
"No," Link admitted, looking down towards his boots. He looked up again, his eyes once more drifting towards that blasted moon. "The sages — she's gone now. When I defeated Ganondorf in the future, and his defeat was extended by the sages back into the past... their disappearance was simultaneous in both times, too. All of them other than Zelda vanished the same as he did. I guess I hoped maybe they had only disappeared in that future, and that they'd all be around back in my own time, but... " He stopped himself, shaking his head. "The point is, she's gone now." Link stopped walking, staring straight ahead, frozen by his own words.  
  
Malon put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."  
  
Snapping out of it, Link turned to face Malon and nodded at her. "Yeah, so was I." He sighed heavily. "But I found that out pretty early after I left Hyrule. So I just tried to explore and learn about other lands and cultures and — just listen to me, I'm rambling on about myself," he said, suddenly smiling.  
  
Malon laughed. "I don't mind! It sounds like you've had quite a few more adventures."  
  
"Some," Link admitted with a shrug. "But what's been going on with you?"  
  
Malon's eyes played themselves over the ranch grounds awkwardly. "Not much to tell. I'm still here... dad's gone."  
  
Link's face fell suddenly. "Oh Din, I'm sorry. If you don't mind my asking, how did it-"  
  
Malon shook her head suddenly "No no, he's not dead."  
  
"Oh!" Link said in surprise, smiling a little at his confusion. "Then where'd he go?"  
  
"He's living in Kakariko now with some family. Ever since we lost the ranch-"  
  
Link inhaled sharply, practically feeling his heart seize up. Navi heard it and flew back over to him in a split-second.  
  
"Hey, what is it?!" Navi asked. "What's wrong?!"  
  
Link was too shocked to say anything to her. He stayed focused on Malon, and cautiously asked "How... Ingo?"  
  
Malon furrowed her brow in confusion. "Yes, he bought the ranch out from us. How did you-"  
  
"No, no, no, no!" Link said in disbelieving horror. "This isn't possible. I stopped this!"  
  
"What?! What are you talking about?" Malon said, her eyes darting between Link and Navi.  
  
Link turned to Navi, who had landed on his shoulder.  
  
"It's happening again," he explained. "Ingo's taken over the ranch from Talon."  
  
Navi just looked at him silently for few seconds, unsure of how to reply.  
  
"No," she ultimately responded. "That's not possible."  
  
"That's what I said," he countered.  
  
"Somebody want to let me in on what in the heck you're talking about?!" Malon pleaded.  
  
Link and Navi shared a look. Then Link turned back to Malon, sympathy in his eyes.  
  
"Malon, there's... something I never told you about my adventures," Link began "The time when I went into the future?" 

Malon nodded cautiously. "Well," Link continued, "I saw you there. You, your father, Ingo, your ranch... all of this. Ingo had taken over the ranch and your father was driven to go live in Kakariko Village, just like now."  
  
Malon's face flushed with shock. "You... knew this was going to happen to us, and you never told us anything? You never did anything to help us?!"  
  
"No!" Link cried pleadingly. "It's not like that!"  
  
"Link already stopped this!" Navi explained. "Ganondorf was responsible for it. He and Ingo made a deal that Ingo would become the head manager of the ranch, and in return, Ganon would get his pick of any of the animals... "  
  
Still baffled, Malon nodded quickly. "They're the reason I stayed on," she acknowledged. "Ingo's a terrible rancher. I had to protect the animals from his own stupidity."  
  
"But when I defeated Ganon," Link said, seemingly pleading to no one, "that should've been the end of it. This should've been over."  
  
"Listen, this isn't like... Ingo didn't just magically become the manager," Malon explained, shaking her head. "Like I said, he bought us out. We have a safe, no one but my father knew the combination. But it was broken into by thieves, and we lost everything. We had to sell, and suddenly Ingo had all these rupees... "  
  
"And no one ever investigated that?" Link questioned, raising an eyebrow.  
  
Malon sighed. "Of course they did, but they couldn't find any evidence to support Ingo being the thief. There were footprints in the mud leading to and from the safe that didn't match his, and the rupees weren't the same. Different number of them, different denominations, and Ingo hadn't visited a bank for months." She shook her head in frustration. "In fact, the footprints didn't match anybody that they could find in Hyrule. They were small and long, like a regular Hylian's, but heavy and sunken, like a Goron's, and they were far apart, like a creature with very long legs… I don't know what it could be. No one does."  
  
Link looked down at his boots again, this time lost in concentration.  
  
"There's only one band of thieves I know that can crack open a safe," he said finally.  
  
Navi stood up on his shoulder, ready for action. "The Gerudo?"  
  
Link nodded slowly. "If Ingo couldn't make a deal with Ganondorf, because Ganondorf doesn't exist, then he'd have to go to somebody else for help. The Gerudo are as good a place to start as any."  
  
"You still think Ingo's somehow responsible for the robbery, then?" Malon asked cautiously.  
  
"Definitely," Link agreed. His features turned determined. "Do you mind if I borrow Epona?"  
  
Malon just smiled and looked past him. Link turned around to see Epona already there, standing behind him. She snorted softly.  
  
"I think she was ready for you," Malon joked.  
  
Link jumped up onto Epona's back and turned to face Malon.  
  
"We'll be back as soon as I've got some answers," Link told her confidently.  
  
She smiled warmly up at him. "I guess once a hero, always a hero," she said. He returned her smile. "Just try to leave quietly," Malon continued. "Ingo's asleep and he doesn't know I'm out here. I come out at night because it's the only time of the day that I can sing... Ingo doesn't allow it."  
  
Link nodded. "I know." 

Malon just rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Time travel... " she started. "It's just confusing."  
  
Link smiled softly at her. "Don't worry. Ingo won't be ordering you around much longer. I'll take care of this."  
  
He gave Malon a wave as Epona trotted slowly towards out through the ranch's entrance. 

Malon returned his wave as she watched him recede into the distance. "Don't be long, fairy boy," she murmured.


	3. Chapter 3: Reflection

After awhile, the sound of a horse's gallop starts to sound like continuously rolling thunder. Plenty of experience had taught Link to tune out that rumbling noise and focus on the environment around him as he tore across the plains. As Link got into the rhythm of moving with Epona's movements, shifting his weight up and down, Navi opted to avoid the rough ride inside of his hat and fly alongside of the horse instead.  
  
"Making a deal with Ingo like that would go against the code of the Gerudo," Navi stated flatly.  
  
"I know," Link said, not turning his head as he stood up in the stirrups.  
  
"So have you considered any other possibilities?" Navi asked, shooting him a sideways look.  
  
Link smiled tightly. "Plenty."  
  
"Like?"  
  
"I know where you're going with this," Link shot back, returning her look.  
  
Navi turned back to staring straight ahead. "I just think we should at least consider that this might be the first sign."  
  
"If we see other signs of his return, we'll worry about it," Link answered. "Until that time, Ganondorf is gone."  
  
After that, Navi stayed silent in thought, keeping her eyes focused on the cliffs in the distance that marked the entrance into the Gerudo fortress.   
  
Upon reaching the bridge over the gorge that led into the Gerudo hideout, Link opted to leave Epona where she was and cross on foot. Navi took up residence under his hat once more as he crossed the wooden bridge and stepped onto the opposite cliff, moving up to the two female guards outside the fortress' entrance. The appearance of the Gerudo hadn't changed in the interim years — the order of redheaded women still still wore those white halter tops and puffed-out pantaloons.  
  
"It's been a while since I've used this," Link remarked as he reached into his satchel to pull out his old Gerudo membership card. But as it turned out, he didn't need it.  
  
"Good evening, sir," the left guard said, smiling. "We've been anticipating your arrival."   
  
Link froze. "You have?" he asked in disbelief.  
  
"Always," the guard agreed with a courtly bow. "Follow me. I will lead you to your chamber."  
  
As he stepped through the courtyard, following the guard towards one of the entrances to the fortress' structure, other Gerudo turned towards him and stood at attention, saluting him with one fist clutched over their hearts. Link smiled nervously and awkwardly returned the gesture as he moved towards the boxy, multi-story clay structure that they had built along the cliffside.  
  
"I don't like this," Navi whispered from underneath Link's hat.  
  
Link rolled his eyes up towards his hat and opened one corner of his mouth so as to speak without drawing attention to himself. "What part?" he whispered back.  
  
"All the parts," Navi replied curtly.  
  
Within the halls of the Gerudo fortress, Link's guide lead him upstairs before opening a door and stepping aside. With another bow, she gestured for him to enter. And when Link did so, he found a beautiful room unlike he had ever seen before. It seemed to be painted completely white, from floor to ceiling. A huge mirror stretched across the left wall, and the right wall was home to a beautiful bed adorned with crystal bedknobs. In the middle of the room, a small, calm reflecting pool sat, its water barely shifting in the breeze.  
  
When the guard shut the door and left down the hallway, Link stepped up to the reflecting pool and peered in. Navi quickly flew out from under his hat and took in her surroundings.  
  
"Whoa, hey… nice," she noted, spinning on an invisible axis as she worked her wings to see all that surrounded her.  
  
Link nodded in agreement, lost in thought. His eyes drifted over to the bedknobs, where he saw as many as 20 reflections of his face staring back at him from within the multifaceted crystal. Then he spun to face the mirror that covered the left wall. Stepping up close to it, he ran his fingers along the glass, eyeing his reflection grimly.  
  
After a moment, Navi landed on Link's shoulder and looked up at him curiously. "What's the plan?"  
  
"We're leaving," he said severely. Turning on one heel, he started for the door.  
  
Navi drifted back into the air, looking after him curiously. She knew better than to question his actions when he got like this. "So soon?" she wondered aloud.  
  
"I know who's behind this," he answered quickly. "It started to come together as soon as we arrived." Shooting a glance back at Navi, he gestured towards his hat by way of invitation. She quickly flitted over and hid beneath it once more.  
  
Link threw open the door and stepped into the hallway. There, at one end, he saw one of the guards pacing.  
  
"Guard!" he called out. She turned and jogged his way. As she stepped up in front of him, she bowed.  
  
"Yes, my lord?" she queried.  
  
"Tell me, where have I been these past few days?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow. The guard looked up at him in puzzlement.  
  
"Humor me," he ordered by way of response.  
  
"You traveled to the Lost Woods in search of the treasures of the ancient Forest Temple," she replied, still baffled.  
  
Link nodded, his eyes shooting sideways as he considered that. "Good. Go to our storehouse and bring me 10,000 rupees' worth of treasure."   
  
The guard again looked at him in confusion. "Sir?"  
  
"I… travel to Kakariko," he said after a moment of considering his answer. "There is a mystic there who concocts potions that may allow us to triple the treasure we carry."  
  
The young woman's face broke into a smile. "Then why only bring this mystic 10,000? Why not all the treasure of our people?" the guard asked.  
  
"I need to test her first," Link explained. "And see if her claims are legitimate. But there is no sense in taking so little as to make the trip a waste."   
  
The guard accepted this and raced off to gather the treasure.  
  
"What are you doing?" Navi whispered to him from her hiding spot.  
  
"Planning ahead," he responded.   
  
"For what?" Navi asked plaintively. "What's going on? Who's responsible for this?"  
  
"The only person for whom a reflecting pool would feel like home." 


	4. Chapter 4: Refraction

The sun was beginning to rise as Link and Navi raced into the woods. In spite of the inherent danger of moving so quickly between the dense collection of wood, it was amazing how skilled Epona was at streaking through the trees of the forest. She dodged them expertly, barely brushing their branches as she tore through the shadowed woodlands.  
  
"What makes you think you can find him in here?" Navi said, speaking loudly over the roar of Epona's hooves.  
  
"I know the paths he'll take," Link responded grimly. "I know how he thinks. We've just got to catch him before he gets back to the fortress."  
  
A hollow log loomed ahead, inviting Link deeper into the forest. He ducked low as he prepared to enter… when suddenly, a dark rider atop a white steed zoomed out of the log, racing past Link in a blur. Epona skidded to a halt, her hooves tearing the grass and sod up from the forest floor as she stopped just in front of the log opening.  
  
"Hey! Was that him?!" Navi asked, her eyes darting around. Link gave a quick nod as he leapt from Epona and drew his Great Fairy's Sword.  
  
"You stay here," he told his small companion, and she nodded once, her eyes still playing over the trees for a sign of the enemy.  
  
There was no sound of receding hooves echoing through the woodlands. Only the noises of the insects swirled through the air. Wherever the horse and its rider had gone, they had not gone far.  
  
"You might as well come out," Link called out. The fireflies of the forest swirled around him. "I know everything now."  
  
The forest offered no reply. Link crept farther away from Epona, lowering his sword slightly, stepping through the narrow beams of sunlight that broke through the thick forest canopy.  
  
"Do you?" a voice sarcastically called back, echoing through the trees.  
  
Link stopped and stood his ground, nodding. "You followed me back through time," he said. "Attached your presence to my own."  
  
Suddenly, a huge sword lashed out from the trees! Link flipped backwards, the massive blade slicing off a bit of his hair as he barely dodged the swipe and landed back on his feet.  
  
Dark Link stood up, raising Biggeron's Sword in both hands. His tunic was a deep black, and his features seemed to be constantly hidden in the shadows. Something about his face was wrong. Even at rest, it felt angry and spiteful. But in spite of it all, he was still the twisted mirror image of Link himself.  
  
"It wasn't hard. I am you," the shadow finally replied.  
  
Link jumped back into his battle stance and held the Great Fairy Sword firm.  
  
"And then you broke off and joined up with the Gerudo," Link ventured.  
  
"I was already a member, just as you are," Dark Link countered. "I carry everything that you carry."  
  
Dark Link stepped forward, forcing the original to back up a bit, keeping his sword at the ready.  
  
"With the fall of Ganondorf, the Gerudo were hungry for new leadership," he continued. "And my… your… _our_ adventures had given me a thorough knowledge of the land. Coupled with my 'strange ability' to predict future events — because, after all, I had already lived them — they eagerly appointed me as their king."  
  
Link shook his head. "How long has this been going on? When did you break off from me?"  
  
Dark Link smiled back. "I separated and started to build power immediately upon our return."  
  
Link smirked. "In that case," he retorted, "you've never been to Termina. Which means," he continued, raising the Great Fairy's Sword over his head, "that you've never seen _this_ before."  
  
And he jumped, swiping the green-and-purple blade down on his dark reflection, who raised Biggeron's Sword to counter. The weapons clashed together and Link immediately dropped low, swinging sideways. But Dark Link was ready for him and kicked outwards, shoving his boot into Link's face, knocking him back so that his swing went wildly off target.  
  
As Link landed on his back, Dark Link raised his weapon with the point aimed towards the ground and lunged at his opponent's gut. Dropping his sword on the ground, Link pushed back, off the earth, and split his legs to both sides as he fumbled backwards. His shadow's weapon drove harmlessly into the dirt between his legs, and Link used his enemy's moment of shock to somersault backwards, flipping up and over his head, landing back on his feet. As soon as he landed, he ripped his bow out of his satchel with incredible speed and immediately nocked an arrow back, firing at Dark Link's head. But Dark Link saw it coming and dropped his sword as well, rolling to one side and dodging the shaft as it flew by.   
  
As he came out of his roll, he hopped to his feet. Both he and Link instantly realized that their swords were both now lying in the dirt and immediately dove into simultaneous rolls, each snatching up their blades and hopping back into a battle stance, pivoting to face each other once more.  
  
After a small moment of silence, Link spoke again. "I know how you robbed Lon Lon Ranch."  
  
Dark Link smirked. "Do tell."  
  
"You trained with the Gerudo," Link began, "and learned how to crack safes. Then you used your hover boots to float over sections of the ground and your iron boots to sink your feet deep into the mud between those sections. The Gerudo's huge treasure allowed you to change out the rupees into a different amount in different colors, adding up to the same total. Then you gave Ingo the cash he needed to buy out the ranch from the suddenly destitute Talon." Link shook his head. "A creature with the weight of a Goron, but with a huge stride in its step… you baffled everybody. _Almost_ everybody."   
  
Dark Link began to circle, with Link moving in tandem. "Very clever," the dark one retorted.  
  
"The only part I can't figure out," Link continued, his eyes locked with his opposite's, "is why you'd go after Lon Lon Ranch in the first place."  
  
Dark Link chuckled. "Their materials are all over this kingdom!" he said, spreading one arm wide. "The milk is shipped everywhere, including to the royal castle. Even their cows are sought after. You know the kind of profits they generate. In exchange for Ingo being given the power and recognition of running the ranch, the Gerudo get all of the profits."  
  
Link scowled. "Not exactly taking a page from the Gerudo code of honor."   
  
His sinister reflection shrugged. "As far as they're concerned, I'm a master treasure hunter. They don't need to know that not all of the money I bring them is what I find strewn throughout the land. I take thousands of rupees from Ingo, and then use that money to hire mercenary enforcers. They pressure shopkeepers all over Hyrule into giving me free supplies and a cut of their profits. More money. More power. And the Gerudo remain none the wiser."   
  
Link gritted his teeth. "You're disgusting."  
  
"You would know," Dark Link smirked.   
  
As he spoke, Dark Link drew his bow from his own satchel and pulled back one of the arrows of light. But Link was already whipping his mirror shield around, and the arrow bounced harmlessly off of its reflective surface, with the light from the arrow's magic shining brightly into Dark Link's eyes.  
  
With his enemy momentarily blinded, Link charged, quickly sheathing his shield and sword on his back and whipping out his megaton hammer. He swiftly swung the hammer sideways, into the dark one's massive sword. Dark Link staggered under the impact of the weapon but held his ground.  
  
Link raised his hammer for another blow, but Dark Link snatched up his boomerang and flung it before Link could strike. The boomerang flew up and knocked the hammer off of its mark, leaving Link open, and Dark Link exploited his enemy's vulnerability by swinging outward with his blade. Link turned his back into the swing, the blade clanging against the mirror shield now resting on his back.  
  
Taking a few steps away, Link deftly slid the hammer back into his magic satchel and drew his sword off of his back once more. Dark Link climbed back onto his feet.  
  
"I've had just about enough of this," Link spat. "Let's do this the old-fashioned way."   
  
And he charged at Dark Link, thrusting his weapon at his enemy's head. Dark Link parried and spun, attempting to swing his blade into Link's side, but Link jumped over the swipe and whipped his blade over his head and downward again. Dark Link quickly whipped his sword back up and caught the blow, glancing it to the side, and then rammed the hilt into the side of Link's head, sending him staggering back. Link was quickly back at attention, ready as Dark Link lunged into the air, and the hero thrust his right foot outwards, catching the dark one's midsection in mid-flight, sending him stumbling back onto the ground.   
  
Landing as smoothly as he could, Dark Link quickly raised his sword back to the ready.  
  
"We could do this all day," he noted. "Don't you see why you'll never beat me?"  
  
"Please, _enlighten_ me," Link growled.  
  
"Because I know all of your moves," Dark Link said with a smile. "I'm as smart as you are."  
  
Dark Link's words struck a chord in the Hero of Time's mind. His face dawning with realization, he hopped into the air and kicked off his boots. Keeping his sword at the ready, he reached into his satchel with one hand and drew out his iron boots, dropping them onto the ground. Dark Link watched with curiosity as Link jumped straight up into the air once more, sliding his feet into the boots easily on his way down.  
  
And with the iron boots now weighing him down, Link took his sword and shield and dropped them onto the ground.  
  
Dark Link eyed his opponent with confusion. Off to the sidelines, a baffled Navi yelled "Link, what are you doing?!"  
  
Link just smirked at his opponent. "Being stupid."  
  
Dark Link chuckled. "You've just signed your own death warrant."   
  
"Maybe," Link said, the smirk still glued to his face. "Let's go."  
  
Sure enough, Dark Link charged, his weapon drawn at the ready, pointed straight at Link's head. Within two seconds, he was upon the hero, but just as he was about to strike, Link jumped, flipping backwards, his feet kicking heavy iron into his enemy's face even as his flip dodged the swing of Dark Link's sword. The force of the blow staggered Dark Link, and he was sent stumbling, falling onto his back. 

As soon as his weighted feet struck the earth again, Link jumped and flipped forward, his iron boots slamming down upon Dark Link's sword and shield.   
  
Dark Link struggled, but it was no use. He was trapped, pinned beneath the weight of Link's feet.  
  
Link smiled. "I never really understood why these slowed me down so much when I tried to walk or run, but whenever I would focus on jumping, I didn't have any trouble. Maybe it's the magic that they were created with… but I'm guessing that if I don't know the answer, neither do you."  
  
Dark Link growled incoherently as Link reached for the ground behind him and picked up his Great Fairy's Sword, holding it to Dark Link's throat.  
  
"You can't," Dark Link spat out, the blade scraping against his jugular. "You can't kill me."  
  
For a moment, Link stood there, hovering over his opposite, holding the green-and-purple blade at Dark Link's throat, not moving. "Don't feed me clichés," he muttered.  
  
Dark Link laughed roughly. "I know you can't. Because I'm you. You can't destroy a part of yourself. Every dark secret, every filthy desire, every dirty wish you've ever carried with you over the course of your young life is carried in my body. I'm every part of you that you hate when you look in the mirror. When you stepped into the room of the reflecting pool in the Water Temple, I was born from within you. And secretly, no matter how hard you try to fight it, you want to keep me close. You want to carry your dark side with you. Maybe to remind you of why you fight, or maybe to enjoy your most secret dreams where no one else can see. That's why you can't kill me." He smiled. "I know you too well."  
  
Link stared silently for a moment, thinking. Finally, he spoke.  
  
"No," he said flatly. "You don't know me at all."  
  
And he drove the sword down, into Dark Link's throat. It passed into his body as though it were jelly, and suddenly the body glowed with light, a black light, spewing out from within him, until finally it exploded into dark rays, fading at last into the air of the forest that surrounded them.  
  
Link slumped to the ground, spent. Navi flew over and landed on his shoulder, putting a hand on his cheek.  
  
"Hey. How do you feel?" she asked.  
  
"Amputated," he sighed. Navi stroked his cheek sympathetically.  
  
Finally, he stood, lifting his sword and shield from the ground, and returning them to their place on his back.  
  
"C'mon," he told Navi. "We've got a friend to pick up."  
  
Navi fluttered alongside of him as they headed back for Epona.  
  
"At least now we won't have to go racing through all of these trees," Link said, striving to make casual conversation as he looked over the dense forest surrounding them.  
  
"Hey," Navi said, flying playfully up to Link's ear. Grinning, she inquired, "What exactly are those dirty wishes he was talking about?"  
  
Link tossed her a lopsided smile. "Shut up and get in the hat."


	5. Chapter 5: Redefinition

It was midday by the time Link rode back into Lon Lon Ranch. Thanks to a quick stop along the way, Talon was now riding behind Link atop Epona as Navi flew alongside them.  
  
Malon was carrying a box full of milk jars back from the stables when they rode in. She immediately set the box down and ran for the horse.  
  
"Dad?!" she cried. "Daddy!"   
  
Talon grinned as he leapt off of the horse and embraced his daughter in a tight hug. Link and Navi couldn't help but smile at one another.  
  
Ingo heard the commotion and ran out from the chicken coop. "What's going on here?!" he asked bitterly. Glaring at Talon, he yelled "I thought I told you to never come back here!"  
  
"Yeah, about that... " Link started, drawing a huge wallet from his satchel. Ingo eyed it suspiciously.  
  
"There are 10,000 rupees in here," Link explained. "More than enough to buy the ranch back from you." His eyes narrowed. "I suggest you use the remainder to get out of Hyrule. Otherwise, I'll be perfectly happy to send the Gerudo after you."  
  
Ingo flinched at the mention of the Gerudo, but he quickly got over the shock and grabbed the wallet from Link's hands.  
  
"Let's see… purple… gold… hmmm… yes, I believe we can, uh… make a deal here," he said, staring into the wallet in disbelief.  
  
"Good," Link replied curtly. "You can give the deed to him," he finished, pointing a thumb in Talon's direction.  
  
Tears began to fill Malon's eyes. "Link... I… "  
  
"I already told him that he was too generous," Talon told his daughter with a chuckle. "But he was extremely insistent."  
  
Ingo ran into the house in search of the deed. Talon followed slowly, pausing to put a hand on Link's shoulder.  
  
"Thank you, my boy," Talon said, warmth in his voice. "I don't know how we can repay you for this."  
  
Link smiled at him. "You and your daughter have done more than enough for me. I'm just returning the favor."  
  
Talon laughed and shook his head, turning to go inside.  
  
"Link," Malon began. Link spun to face her, but before she could think of a way to finish, she just wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you so much."  
  
Navi quickly winked at Link and flew off somewhere to get out of the way. Link shot her a grin as she darted off.  
  
Looking down at Malon, he held her close against him. "It's nothing," he said, smiling as she leaned into his chest.  
  
"No, it _is_ something," she said, looking up into his eyes. "Daddy's right. Nothing we've ever done for you can compare to this. There's no way we can pay you back for what you did today."  
  
Link pursed his lips. "Well, there might be a couple of ways."  
  
Malon stare didn't waver. "Anything."  
  
"Well," he continued, "I was thinking… maybe, you know, now that Ingo's going to be leaving… you might need an extra hand around here." Malon's face started to turn red, a smile filling her features. "And I was hoping," Link continued, "that maybe I could take his place and… live here. With you guys."  
  
"I… " Malon began, and then she stopped herself. "Yes, of course, yes!" she said, grinning from ear to ear. "I'd love — I mean, we'd love — that is… we'll both be very happy to have you!"  
  
Then, after a brief moment of elation, her face fell once more. "But what about your duties? With Zelda?"  
  
Link turned away, looking in the direction of the castle, and shook his head. "I can still protect the kingdom from here," he told her. "And it's my decision to make. She's always done her best to be a good friend. She'll understand." He paused, nodding to himself. "She'll have to."  
  
The smile returned to Malon's face, this one more confident and content. "This is so wonderful," she gushed.   
  
Link grinned at her. "I think so, too," he laughed.  
  
Still smiling, Malon looked at him questioningly. "What was the other thing?"  
  
Link bit his lower lip, his face turning a little red. "Oh, that… I'm not sure exactly how to… it's actually nothing." He looked down at the dirt and sighed. "Forget it," he said, stonewalling.  
  
Malon's face turned confused. "No, tell me. What is it? Just name it."  
  
Her tone of concern broke Link's barrier down, and he smiled at her. Quickly, he swept her up into his arms and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her softly. Malon was startled and stiff at first, but soon sank into it, wrapping her arms around him tightly and pulling herself into him.  
  
It lasted for several seconds before Link broke the kiss. Both of their faces were red from embarrassment, but they grinned in spite of themselves.  
  
Malon was still breathing hard when Link said "You… we have a lot in common, you know? And I was thinking… do you want to try this?" he asked awkwardly.  
  
She looked up at him, the embarrassment gone, and grinned wider still. "Nothing would make me happier."  
  
Link grinned right back at her, and they stood there, smiling affectionately at one another until finally Malon heard her father's voice calling from behind her.  
  
"Um," she started, "I should go and… tell my father the news." She grinned and turned, running away towards the house, tripping over her own feet along the way.  
  
Link stood there alone for a moment, grinning happily as he watched her go. Then Navi flew back down and landed on Link's shoulder.   
  
"Hey, you're blushing," she teased.   
  
Link laughed aloud. "I guess I probably am."  
  
"I always knew you were sweet on her, you know," she continued, elbowing him in the chin casually. Link just rolled his eyes and nodded.   
  
"I'll bet," he murmured, turning to take Epona's reins.  
  
"I did! I _so_ did," Navi insisted.

"I'm sure you did," Link acquiesced. He started to walk towards the corral, leading Epona over to the other horses.  
  
"What about the Gerudo?" Navi asked finally.  
  
Link half-shrugged casually. "I guess their _king_ will just have to tell them that the mystic destroyed all of our money," he said flatly.   
  
"The punishment for stealing from the Gerudo is death," Navi noted.  
  
"I guess I killed her, then," Link chuckled. "And once we're done with that, I can appoint them a new ruler and be on my way."  
  
Navi nodded and smiled, satisfied with that response.  
  
"You don't mind, do you?" Link asked her, concern tinging his voice.  
  
"Living here?" she answered. "Not at all. I could use the fresh air." Navi took a deep breath and looked around the ranch in approval before turning back to Link.  
  
"So," she continued, "do you think we can actually _sleep_ tonight?  
  
Link stopped walking. Slowly, he took in his surroundings. He looked over to the grazing animals and the rustling trees visible beyond the ranch walls. He breathed deeply, smelling the grass and flowers of the pasture.   
  
"Yeah," Link answered her at last, smiling warmly. "We can."


	6. Author's Note

AUTHOR'S NOTE  
  
Thanks for reading! If you made it this far, I hope that means that you care. Either way, I thought I'd say a little bit about the story, since everybody seems to do these "Author's Note" things around here.  
  
- I tried to go for more of a "modern style" of dialogue, something more in line with what we see in the games when characters say things like "Wow, you were pretty cool," or "Hey there, small fry" or whatever. It's not a stilted, 'Lord of the Rings' way of speaking, but something more casual and slang-y.  
  
- This story was, in some ways, a speed exercise... I wrote it in one day, edited it a couple of times and then posted it, and I'm pretty happy with the results, especially given that fact. I hope you liked it, but if you didn't, well, it was written pretty quickly, so maybe that's why.   
  
- Might do a sequel, or write more stuff... or might not, I don't know, but I'd love it if someone would review this! I've never written a Zelda fanfic before, and I SURVIVE on reviews, y'know?  
  
Thanks for your time! 


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